Project Details

Description

Consortium in Denmark kicks off research project for wind turbine blade production optimization

The future demand of wind power requires a steep ramp-up of large component production to the offshore wind industry. Danish consortium has kicked-off the research project, AIOLOS, which aims to optimize factory output at low cost.

Due to the large demand for offshore wind in the future, component production, including the blades, needs to increase significantly. Furthermore, it is important to limit the need for costly new factories to ensure competitiveness. Consequently, new innovative development in automatization and digitalization seem to be an appropriate solution that can easily be implemented in already existing production facilities.

This starting point has resulted in the establishment of the AIOLOS research project, which was kicked off in April 2021 and will run until 2024. Innovation Fund Denmark has invested 38.4 million DKK in the project.

The research project represents a paradigm-shift when it comes to addressing blade production and factory output. It will tackle the most important cost drivers in the production of large high-performance composite structures (>15m length) and aims to develop ways to increase production capability, flexibility and quality.

The AIOLOS project aspire to:

·         Significantly decrease both operational as well as capital expenditures (OPEX and CAPEX)

·         Significantly increase factory output through acceleration, automation and digitalization

·         Decrease production waste 

·         Reduce non-conformance of large composite structure production

 

Made in Denmark
AIOLOS will be implemented at Siemens Gamesa’s factory in Aalborg, Denmark. Here specifically, it is expected to significantly increase the company’s blade production as well as enable a reduction of blade manufacturing costs.

Across the entire wind industry in Denmark, it is also expected that AIOLOS will increase job opportunities in areas such as robot operation and maintenance, data analysis and blade production operators.

The technologies developed in the framework of this project will be adapted for a wider industrial spectrum including maritime and transport industries.

AIOLOS is led by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and comprises six consortium partners from both industry and academia:

·         Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy: Wind turbine manufacturer ensuring that the development impact in AIOLOS can be maximized for large OEMs

·         Clobotics and Pontis: Innovative SMEs providing specialized key knowledge for production improvements, and who will drive the wider applicability of AIOLOS’ results into the Danish wind industry

·         FORCE Technology: A leading non-profit research company, which is a governmentally supported research hub to support industry and cross-industry collaboration

·         Aalborg University: University which will focus its expertise on design of modular prefabricated blade components and the joining of those and support the dissemination and training level achieved by AIOLOS.

·         DTU Wind Energy (Technical University of Denmark): University which will contribute with its expertise in modelling and manufacturing to establishing a digital factory with improved processes and product quality as well as to support the dissemination and training level achieved by AIOLOS.

  

Facts

·         The total project budget is 77,650,000 DKK (approx. 10,420,000 €) and hereof, Innovation Fund Denmark is responsible for 38,380,000 DKK (approx. 5,150,000 €).

·         The project will run from 2021 – 2024.

 

Contact

·         Line Ljungkvist Knøss, Project Lead, Denmark, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Tel: 3011-5998, Mail: [email protected]

 

·         Sanne Frimor Petersen, Communications Manager, Denmark, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Tel: 3037-7270, Mail: [email protected]

 

·         Jens Bomholt, Press- and Media Manager, Innovation Fund Denmark

Tel: 61 90 50 45, Mail: [email protected]

Key findings

AIOLOS, DTU, AAU; Siemens Gamesa, Pontis Engineering, Force Technology
Short titleAIOLOS
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date01/04/202130/04/2024

Collaborative partners

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